Almost 20,000 Bradfordians on furlough to face 'jobs cliff edge'

The party’s estimations show that 76,000 people under local restrictions in Yorkshire are still benefitting from the Government’s scheme – with 19,000 workers in Bradford on furlough in the middle of September.

Elsewhere in West Yorkshire, an estimated 31,000 workers in Leeds were on furlough, with 17,000 in Kirklees and 8,000 in Calderdale.

The furlough initiative is due to expire at the end of this month.

Labour tonight said that, despite a rise in infections and huge swathes of the country being placed under further restrictions, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, had failed to deliver an economic package to protect businesses and jobs most at risk from a second wave of coronavirus. The party said almost one million jobs were at risk across the UK.

Jobs scheme to help those left out of work as a result of Covid-19 goes live in Bradford

Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds urged the Chancellor to use his party conference speech to “get a grip of this crisis before it’s too late”.

Mrs Dodds said: “The Government’s failure to get a functioning track, trace and isolate system working means large swathes of the country, including in the North West, are now under additional restrictions and face a jobs cliff edge.

“Labour urged the Chancellor to introduce a wage support scheme that incentivised employers to keep more staff on.

“However, he ignored these calls and now nearly a million jobs are at risk when the furlough scheme ends in a few weeks’ time.

“Rishi Sunak must get a grip of the jobs crisis before it’s too late. “If he doesn’t, Britain risks an unemployment crisis greater than we have seen in decades – and Rishi Sunak’s name will be all over it.”

There are another 33,000 people on furlough who live in Yorkshire towns and cities that are on the Government’s national watch list, according to Labour’s analysis.

They include 14,000 workers in Wakefield, 10,000 in Rotherham, 5,000 in Scarborough and 4,000 in Selby.